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It really drives me nuts, so why do they do it?
Seems like everyone in California drives with a cell phone glued to their ear.
Isn't this against the law yet in the US? It is here in the UK although not very well enforced.
The argument is that talking distracts you. So why don't they ban passengers, the radio, sat nav, smoking, scratching your backside, picking your nose, adjusting the aircon, switching the headlights on and anything else that might distract you.
The world has gorn mad!
Did anyone see that interesting feature on newsnight recently where the facts seem to point out that Traffic Lights cause accidents and traffic jams. If you take the lights out everyone drives with more caution and the traffic flow is better. Anarchy works in this instance.
Perhaps those that rule us are trying to control us just a tad too much.
Once I got into Massachusetts it was a different story
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Ever noticed how some idiots actually speed up in dangerous areas? I think it's a macho thing.
Isn't this against the law yet in the US?
I think it's been left mostly up to local or maybe even state jurisdictions to decide how to handle it. I could be wrong about that.
I was behind a woman just yesterday at a red light who was talking on her cell phone. Light turned green and she just sat there. I gave her a good 10 seconds or so and then blasted her with my horn. One hand held the phone to her ear and the other was gesturing wildly. 10 more seconds passed and I blasted her again. That got her attention and she started moving, flipping me off in the process.
Ban them all I say. I turn mine off when I'm driving. Not out of any safety concerns but mainly because I know somebody's going to ask me a question I can't answer since I'm not at my desk.
Perhaps those that rule us are trying to control us just a tad too much.
BTW, if you do any of those distracting things while taking the drivers test you'll likely flunk. Two hands on the wheel.
Some (U.S.)state laws have long said you must use the "highest" level of control of your car.
We must be doing something right. Auto deaths continue to fall in the U.S.
That got her attention and she started moving, flipping me off in the process.
(this discussion is starting to ruin my morning... rehashing old idiots LOL)
To be perfectly honest I'm more concerned about the 89 year old woman (or man) driving 35MPH in a 60MPH zone than I am cell phone talkers.
The argument is that talking distracts you. So why don't they ban passengers, the radio, sat nav, smoking, scratching your backside, picking your nose, adjusting the aircon, switching the headlights on and anything else that might distract you.
Talking does distract you. There is no doubt about that. Is there anyone who disputes that driving with one hand for ten minutes and a cell phone stuck to your ear makes it harder to control your car?
Radios and Sat Nav can also distract you. I remember nearly ramming someone myself while looking for a track on an old cassette tape. We'll never know how many people actually get involved in accident while messing around with ICE systems. Clearly they would never admit to it and there would seldom be any evidence of what they were doing at the moment of impact.
Cars are becoming full of distractions nowadays. Aggregating all of these distractions creates a real risk situation that unfortunately has to be controlled.
[edited by: BeeDeeDubbleU at 7:36 pm (utc) on Jan. 16, 2008]
Why?
Because someone in car can see when you need to concentrate and shut up. Someone on the phone can't.
Rgds
Damon
Problem with cell phones is that some drivers, it seems, are always chatting on them.
The argument is that talking distracts you.
Experiments have repeatedly demonstrated that driving while talking on the cell phone is about as dangerous as driving with a 0.08 blood alcohol level.
Most dangerous distraction for me is fastening my seat belt
Cars didn't have seat belts when I started driving. Often takes me a few minutes to remember to buckle up.
Problem with cell phones is that some drivers, it seems, are always chatting on them.
Most dangerous distraction for me is fastening my seat belt.
I made it much of a habit, I fasten my seat belt as soon as I get into a car, even if it means moving it for a few meters.
I use the turn signals as much too, I find myself making signals while changing lanes or turning left or right even when there is hardly any moving thing on the street. :)
I have this question. Do people driving in a city they just got in to for a visit, somehow believe the traffic rules in the dest city doesn't apply apply to them?
Or it is just here?
[edited by: Habtom at 5:52 am (utc) on Jan. 17, 2008]
Most dangerous distraction for me is fastening my seat belt. Grope to find it; then fiddle with the buckling process. But the risk--probably considerable--only lasts 5-15 seconds.If you take your driving test and start your car without your seatbelt on - you flunked. I put it even to move my car a couple of metres. If I don't put it, I feel like I'm missing something and can't drive properly :).
I sometimes wish that I was a cop to be honest. Just to give tickets to all those idiots who drive with their mobile phone in one hand, or that overtake me driving at 90 miles an hour on the dual carriageway. Even complete driving bans for those who do both at the same time - happens every morning!
People driving 40 MPH in a 20 MPH school zone. Fortunately the cops have a zero tolerance for that in my city but people still do it anyway.
I remember reading a few years ago that female drivers should be banned from having female passengers because when women have a conversation they like to scrutinise each other's face to (perhaps subconsciously) make sure they are being honest. Since then I have noticed that when driving on the motorway behind two women they do tend to swivel their heads and look at each other more than men do.
Presumably men are not worried if their passenger is telling the truth or not. Probably most of us aren't really listening unless the topic of conversation is us personally. Women drivers also don't turn to look at male passengers so much. I suspect they think we are not telling the truth most of the time so they don't need to check.
A lot of people dont keep their eyes glued to the speedometer.
In a little while, it ain't difficult to learn to know your speed without looking at it.
It really drives me nuts, so why do they do it?
Some people are just weird. I went to get carry out (take away for you Brits) and the guy in front of me insisted on keeping at least 6 feet of space in front of him, even when the line would move up he would just move up a little and still keep six feet way from the customer in front of him. This put the rest of in the line (queue) in front of the door to collide with the new customers coming in and of course the new customers were confused about where the, line ended because it seemed like it logically ended in front of him.
Sometimes it seems like some people were raised by wolves and they just don't even understand how simple things like lines at cash registers are supposed to work.
